1. Field
The invention is in the field of camping and picnic equipment and particularly in the field of charcoal cooking grills and of environmental protection by collecting ashes from such grills for removal from a camping or picnic site so as to leave the site as it was found.
2. State of the Art
Concern is rising about leaving evidence of human presence in various areas and rules are going into effect in some areas requiring removal of all evidence of presence or at least certain types of presence, such as evidence of fire shown by fire remains. This requires campers and picnickers to either forgo fires and use of grills, or to clean up all evidence of fires or use of grills in these areas. While some grills can retain ashes inside the grill body, most grills have air holes in the bottom or sides of the grill body to allow combustion air to enter the grill. Without such holes or vents, the fire in the grill does not burn satisfactorily. However, with such holes or vents, ashes fall through such holes and require clean up upon leaving the site. Further, if used extensively on a trip, ashes build up in the grill body and have to be removed. No easy prior art way of retaining ashes for easy removal from a camp or picnic site are known to the inventor.
Grills usually include legs extending from the grill body and generally include an ash collecting plate between the legs. However, such plate does not usually catch all ash falling through the grill air holes so when used on a patio or deck, ashes can fall onto the patio or deck and require clean up. Further, hot coals in addition to ashes can fall through open grill air holes onto the ash collecting plate or a supporting surface such as a patio or deck. This is a fire hazzard when the grill is used on a combustible surface such as a wooden deck, and exposed hot coals can be an attraction for children who can be burned by such coals if they are picked up or otherwise played with.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,679 shows a support housing for a portable grill which supports a grill in an open top of the housing and includes a storage compartment in the bottom of the housing below a false bottom located below a grill placed on the housing for storage of lighter fluid and charcoal. The normal legs and ash catching tray remain extending from the bottom of the grill and are received in the housing above the false bottom. Each time the grill is to be used, clamps holding the grill in the housing are released, the grill removed, the false bottom in the housing is removed so that the charcoal and lighter fluid can be removed. After removal of the charcoal and lighter fluid, the false bottom is replaced in the housing and the grill replaced and used in normal manner. After use, the grill must again be removed, the false bottom removed, the charcoal and lighter fluid replaced, the false bottom replaced, and the grill replaced and clamped in place for storage and transportation of the grill and housing as a unit. There is no ash collection and storage in the housing as any ash or other debris falling into the housing will rest on the false bottom and will be removed when the false bottom is removed to allow access to the storage area for the charcoal and lighter fluid. Further, the grill air vents are enclosed by the support, yet the support has no air vents so would appear to restrict air flow into the grill which air flow is generally necessary for a satisfactory fire.
According to the invention, a bucket like ash retainer and grill support is placed under and as a support for a barbeque grill to catch and retain for easy removal any ashes falling from the grill or removed from the grill. The open top of the ash retainer forms a receiving and supporting opening for a grill body, preferably a rounded or hemispherical grill body. It is preferred that the opening formed by the open top have a diameter less than the diameter of the grill body so that the grill body sits in and extends above the opening in the open top. The grill can then be easily adjusted on the ash retainer and support to be level in uneven terrain.
Grills usually include grill air openings through the grill body so that air can enter the grill below a charcoal or other fuel support grate to supply combustion air to the fire. Ashes and other debris falling through the air openings when open fall into and are collected by the ash collector. After use of the grill, ashes build up in the grill and when built up to a certain level need to be removed to allow air circulation in the grill. Removal of the ashes may be desirable after each use or after several uses. With the invention, the ashes in the grill can be moved over open grill air openings to fall into the ash retainer of the invention, or the grill can be removed and the ashes removed from the grill by tipping the grill to dump the ashes into the ash retainer or by removing the ashes with a smaller container and dumping them into the ash retainer. Thus, ashes from the grill are deposited directly into the ash retainer of the invention and build up therein. The ash holding capacity of the ash retainer is much greater than the ash holding capacity of the grill so ashes from many uses of the grill can be retained in the ash retainer. Generally the capacity will be more than enough to hold the ashes generated during a normal camping trip of a week or more. The retainer is carried from the site of use with the ashes and the ashes are disposed of in proper manner in an appropriate location. The ash retainer preferably includes a double wall across the bottom and partially up the sides to insulate the outer surface from any hot coals or ashes that fall or are placed therein. This reduces fire danger and the danger of the user being burned by the retainer.
The ash retainer and support also includes a container vent which allows air flow into the ash retainer and then through the grill air holes into the grill to support a fire in the grill. Preferably, the container vent is closeable and adjustable so air flow to the grill can be adjustably regulated or closed to control air flow to the grill.